Flow control device



July 13, 1965 H. w. KOGAN ETAL FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1962 FIGA- FIG] PRESSURE DROP @5.1,

mm. om. mw QN m 3 m.. .SS Gm 23@ -m MJA, ,4 TMm/5w United States Patent O 3,194,272 FLW CNTRL DEVICE Henry W. Kogan, Oak Park, Arthur J. 'Wisniewski, Hamtramck, and Thaddeus J. Cialelr, Madison Heights, Mich., assignors to American Radiator de Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, NSY., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,414 6 Claims. (Cl. 13S-43) This invention relates to a llow control device for use in a liquid line to maintain a substantially constant volumeric delivery in the line in spite of wide variations in liquid supply pressure. The device has application in various elds, including water valves for domestic clothes washing machines and dishwashing machines, and coinoperated liquid dispensers for coffee and soft drinks.

One object of the invention is to provide a flow control device which is able to maintain a substantially constant volumetric ilow over a relatively wide range of liquid supply pressures, as for example from a low pressure of about l p.s.i. through a high pressure of about 200 p.s.i.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ow control device which can be manufactured at relatively low cost in competition with other devices which do not have the same range of operation as the present device.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings: e

FIGURE l is a sectional View through one embodiment of the invention taken on line 1-1 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the same direction as FIG. 2 but showing the flow control device when subjected to relatively high liquid pressure;

FIG. 5.is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken in the same direction as FIG. 2 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a predecessor of the FIG. 6 control devices; and

FIG. 8 is a graph which plots the performance of certain ow control devices, including those of FIGS. 1 and 6l Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. e

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, there is shown a flow control device comprising a liquid passageway means 10 Which forms a liquid inlet chamber 12, an annular seat 14,and a central liquid outlet opening 16. The passageway means may in commercial practice be of a liquid pipeline, a short tubular coupling for at- 3,l94,272 Patented Juiy 13, 1965 ice tachment to a pipeline, or part of a valve body. Disposed within chamber 12 of the passageway means is a flow control disc 18 preferably formed of rubber or similar resilient deformable material. Disc 18 is provided with four arcuate edge surfaces 20 which lie closely adjacent the inner cylindrical surface 22 of chamber 12 to position the disc centrally over the outlet opening 16.

At two diametrically spaced points on the discperiphery there are provided semi-circular notches 24 which conduct liquid from the space above disc 18 to areas adjacent seat 14. The liquid thereafter ows through a deep groove 26 which is preferably of triangular cross section as shown in FIG. 2. As seen in FIG. l groove 26 extends entirely across the downstream face of the ow control disc between the two notches 24 so that liquid can iiow in two paths through the tw-o notches 24 and thence in different parts of groove 26 to reach the outlet opening 16. Two additional liquid paths are provided outside of the two flat disc edge surfaces 30 which lead to opposite ends of a shallow groove 32 formed on the downstream face of the disc. The triangular disc portions 33 lying alongside the grooves constitute feet which engage seat 14 and thus support the disc for flow of liquid through the various grooves. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, groove 26 is much deeper than groove 32 while groove 32 is much wider than groove 26.

With no pressure differential between chamber 12 and outlet opening 16 the disc assumes the condition of FIGS. 2 and 3. As the inlet pressure is raised groove 32 is collapsed toward the condition of FIG. 5 wherein the groove roof surface 34 engages seat 14; this collapsing action -occurs at relatively low pressure and is believed due to the wideness of the groove which provides a relatively long unsupported roof span (as seen in FIG. 3). During the period when roof surface 34 is collapsing the groove 26 roof surface is also collapsing so that it exerts an additional variable restriction action on the liquid during low liquid pressure periods. However the sizeV relationships are such that the restricting action of groove 26 during the low pressure period is not as substantial as the action of groove 32.

As the inlet pressure is increased from a low pressure value the traingular groove 26 is collapsed from the FIG. 2 contour to FIG. 4 contour and beyond. Thus there is a variable restricting action by groove 32 at low pressure and a second variable restricting action by groove 26 at high pressure. In normal operations below 200 p.s.i. apparently neither groove is completely restricted so that presumably some flow takes place in each groove.

The device may be constructed in various sizes but in one test form the iow control disc has a major diameter of about 137/16 inch, and an axial thickness of about 1A inch. In this construction groove 32 is about 1/32 inch deep and about :Vs inch wide, and groove 26 is about 5716 inch wide at its base and about %2 inch high. The sides of the groove triangle have an included angle of about sixty degrees. The performance of this tested form is shown by curve 40 in FIG. 8.

A construction identical with that of FIG. 2, but without groove 32, was built and tested. Its performance is detonated by curve 42 in FIG. 8. By comparing curves 40 and 42 it Will be seen that groove 32 apparently gives the disc increased flexibility and flow capacity so l' For many applications aV device is suitable if it controls the flow within plus or minus ten per centof its rated ilow. If we rate the curve 40 device at 2.5 gallons per narrow operating range from about p.s.i. up to about 140 p.s.i. 'deviceis believed due to the ability of groove32 to conduct 'liquid notv only while inthe Alow lpressure, range Thus, inl

but also while Vin the higher pressure range. FIG. 8 the verticaldistance between curves di), and 42 at any givenpressure is a measure ofthe ow' through groove 32;"curve 40 is atall pressure `points above curve 42 which indicates that some :liquid is Vatall times flowing, in Igroove'SZ. This 4is also indicated by FIG. 5 which: illustrates that groove 32 never,` completely ,closesv against ,seatV '14.

VOther variations'fnom that of FIG.

that of FIG. 1 (curve 40) except thatgroove 42 wa'srB/l@ inch wide instead of 'eyaf'inch wide, T he performanceof i this variation `is detonated by curve M in FIG.V 8.' By corn-V Aparing curves 4tland 44 it will be seen that reducing the TheV reduced vwidth groove 32 Ldoes not conduct ys uiicient `liquid at flowy pressures and is not easily'enough collapsedxa't high pressures to provide acceptable {iov/.overa suicient .pressure range.VV From thisgitis concluded that. groove l32 should be of appreciablewidthfor optimum performance;

Thersuperion performance of the curveV havebeen builtjy and'tested. Thus, a construction was built ideuticalwith 'that if is abre .to begin controlling the aow at a reiativeiy i 'low-pressure.

minute it meets theacceptability testfor a pressure range Y from about 1G p.s.i. upto about 200 p.s.i. In contrast the `device of curve/i2 has acceptable flow in a relativelyY annularseatfacingupstreamrand-deiininglafcentraloutlet Y width'of VgroovelZ hasan adverse eiect on performance;

FIG. 6Yshows a ow ycontrol disc whichfis 4generally similar-Ito the FIG. :2 disc exgcept'tha't the triangular `shaped groove 26 is replaced `witha groove zbihaving Curve 46 in FIG." 8 deL-1 a circular roof configuration. vnotes'the :performance characteristic for a FIG.6 :flow

control, wherein groove `Ztb has a depth of about .126

inch. l. It willbe 'seen rthat in generall the llowlteuds to.

Yvary-toa greater-extentthan when a triangular shaped groove 26 is used.`jAp'parently a groove 26h vof .126

inch depth willfno't collapsequite asrapidly. Vas the triang'uf;

-lar groove 26 'of FIG. 2. For -a given groove depth :the

-groove 26bhas va larger -cross section 'than the triangu, Y lar groove, Whichaccounts Vfor the fact-that curvej46 is elevated above curve 40 in zFIG. 8.;

The curve identilied by numerala isffor a flowcontroll `disc :similar` to that Vshown. in vlFlGvf Vbut with groove 26h' having a height of .082r inch. Reducing the depth of "groove 26h V'from ;.l26 'inchfto .082 inch fcausesthe flow to rapidly drop olf when .the pressures are'about 80 p.s.i.; therefore there is apparently a minimum groove height for the attainmentofk satisfactory results.- Ap- `parently-inthe `case of the .082 'in ch depth groove the -amounts of rubber forming theside surfaces of the groove 'are so reduced vthat'the'groove has insu'fiicient collapse-re1- -sistancel It'v is believed that the groove undergoes a buckling action instead Vof thespreading -action `1which is if believed to characterize groove 26 of FIGS. =2 and Y Prior tobuilding the yunits of FIGS. Zand 6 we built f tralV outletgopeningya,,resilientelastomericaiiowlcontrol similar to slot 26a..`

so that 'the Vvolumetric Vdelivery''tended to increase-continuously'with increasing Ypressure drop. @Wh'enrthe slotV o Was -widenedj it: tended to collapse", permanently.

may be practiced in other` formsv as comelwithin thescopeY of the appended claimstgv I Y Y Weclairnp,V f Y 1.* In a. pressurey responsivefow; controly d evice: an Y .openingga resilientelastolneric liowcontrol dis'c having. two intersecting. grooves; of substantial cross sectional area f deiinmg four spaced' feet, saidY disclbelng!arranged with;

four feet engaging said'seat; iirst;andse condonesof. said A feet being relatively' 'close 'togetherfto provide; a relatively narrow ilow groove portion; -thirdandfourth :ones vof said Afeet being relatively close together tofprovidej -a relatively narrow iiowfgrooye portion; .theirstjandgthird feet: being Y relatively far apart to provide a .wide llowv groove portion; and thesecond and fourth feetv beinggrelativelyjfar apart.'V togprovide a wide ow groove-position; `thel unsupported disc Vsurface areas Vbetween thefeetf. constituting groove roof areas whichcollapse; toward theseat'inresponseto i groove portions'being more easily collapsed .ontoitlieseat' than `the roof areas -for y theV narrow groove portions sonr that the wide passages;variablyrestrictinY azlowpressure a range. and the narrowgroove .portionsvariablyrestrict in a high pressure .rauge.

2.. In a` pressure responsiveliiowcontrol device; anannular unl-planari-seat Vfacing.zupstreain'zand 4VdeningfaV central outletopeningga ,resilient'ielastomeric flow control Y disc located `on said 'seat andghavingyfourlradial .groove portionsdnl its Vdowr'istreanr'facev fory conveying fluid to@ the vcentral opening; two of the groove,por tjions .being Vwideland ,'shallow'ffonfvarietyrestrictingthe-iiow'fin a; low gpressurerange;` and two Aof the grooveportion'sgb'eingf V uarrowerandV deeper for variably restricting'k .the :dow in aV high, pressure range., i.. Y

3. In a pressure-responsive ow controlfdevicezfan an-V nular unifplanarrseat facing ,upstream fand; deiiningfafeendisc located fon said'fs'eat and havingfgtwo diametricalf a unitas'shown in `FIG. 7. In the FIG. 7 construction V the -undersurfaee ofthe deformable disc `lltva is provided with'two identical cross grooves 26a and 32a, eachlofv appreciable width and limited depth. deforrns under pressure so Ythat each of the Ygroovesexerts Aa similarV control action on the liquid.' I Iowever,';it was discovered that when bothrof the grooveswere Vconstructed as in'FIG. '-17 the disc tended todeform excessively at relatively low pressuresso that the groove roof, surfaces 54a collapsed against seat 14 prematurely; a sharpdr'opol in flow rate was experienced at relatively low pres.-V

sures in the neighborhood ofp or -70 p.s.i.: Y

In theory the discV i grooves in itsgidownstream face;ionegofisaidigrooves being a relatively wide shallowlgroove;andtheothergrOOYe Ybeing La deeperfandnarrower groove, -wherebyfthe wide shallow grooveis .;able .to= collapselonto :.thefseatffin ag Arelatively low pressurerangeandtherdeeper andnarrowen groove Vislable toe collapse toward ,they seat ini a Vrelatively f high pressure'range.. i

n Y 4. In' a pressure gresponsive'iiow control VdeviceY an Y annular at uniplanar seat faclngupstrelam and deinin'g a central QutIetopening; a resilient elastomericiiowV con` trol-disc located onfsaid seat and having twoV intersecting p Y diametrieal owgrooves in its downstreamiface; -oneiof i said ,grooves lbeing a relativelyV wide shz'lllowgroove, and the other belng a deeper'and narrowerfizgrooveof `sub-A stantiallyr'triangularV cross section; .7

5. In a *pressure responsivce` ftlow control device; an

4annular seat facing upstream and deiininga-lcentral' outlet opening; a;defor1nableow control ldiscVV located on said.;

Efforts were also made to provide a now control disc.;

having a single rectangular cross section 4slotgenerally seat andhavin'g vflow passagesjinits Vdownstream face;V

one of l said -passagesfbeing',relatively wide andfshallow to undergo substantial change in areafin a lov/'pressure However` whenftlieV was rnade narrow it-did not provide sufiicientftbrottling zofthe fluid,` il 'f range; another of said passages being deeper and narrower to undergo substantial change in area `only in a high pressure range.

6. In a pressure responsive flow control device: an annular at uni-planar seat facing upstream and dening a central outlet opening; a resilient elastomeric flow control disc located on said seat and having two intersecting diametrical ow grooves extending across its downstream face; said disc having a diameter between two and three times its axial thickness; one of said grooves being a relatively wide shallow groove having a width greater than the disc axial thickness and a depth less than one-quarter of the disc axial thickness; the other groove being a deeper and narrower groove of substantialy triangular cross section, the depth of said other groove being about one-half the disc axial thickness, and the width of said other groove at its widest point being less than the disc axial thickness.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE FLOW CONTROL DEVICE: AN ANNULAR SEAT FACING UPSTREAM AND DEFINING A CENTRAL OUTLET OPENING; A RESILIENT ELASTOMERIC FLOW CONTROL DISC HAVING TWO INTERSECTING GROOVES OF SUBSTANTIAL CROSS SECTIONAL AREA DEFINING FOUR SPACE FEET, SAID DISC BEING ARRANGED WITH FOUR FEET ENGAGING SAID; FIRST AND SECOND ONES OF SAID FEET BEING RELATIVELY CLOSE TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A RELATIVELY NARROW FLOW GROOVE PORTION; THIRD AND FOURTH ONES OF SAID FEET BEING RELATIVELY CLOSE TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A RELATIVELY NARROW FLOW GROOVE PORTION; THE FIRST AND THIRD FEET BEING RELATIVELY FAR APART TO PROVIDE A WIDE FLOW GROOVE PORTION; AND THE SECOND AND FOURTH FEET BEING RELATIVELY FAR APART TO PROVIDE A WIDE FLOW GROOVE POSITION; THE UNSUPPORTED DISC SURFACE AREAS BETWEEN THE FEET CONSTITUTING GROOVE ROOF AREAS WHICH COLLAPSE TOWARD THE SEAT IN RESPONSE TO FLUID PRESSURE ON THE DISC; THE ROOF AREAS FOR THE WIDE GROOVE PORTIONS BEING MORE EASILY COLLAPSED ONTO THE SEAT THAN THE ROOF AREAS FOR THE NARROW GROOVE PORTIONS SO THAT THE WIDE PASSAGES VARIABLE RESTRICT IN A LOW PRESSURE RANGE AND THE NARROW GROOVE PORTIONS VARIABLY RESTRICT IN A HIGH PRESSURE RANGE. 